plague

Meaning

1. The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis.
2. An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but specifically by the above disease.
3. A widespread affliction, calamity or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution.
4. A grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates.
5. A group of common grackles.

pestilence

epidemic

black death

temptation by the evil doer

chevvy

epidemic disease

great nuisance

do violence to

gnaw away

malicious person

prey on

treat cruelly

odious person

pain

infectious diseases

pestilential disease

high mortality

loimia

scourse

get on somebody’s nerves

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pleɪɡ/

From Middle English plage, borrowed from Old French plage, from Latin plāga (“blow, wound”), from plangō (“to strike”). Cognate with Middle Dutch plāghe (> Dutch plaag), plāghen (> Dutch plagen); Middle Low German plāge; Middle High German plāge, pflāge (> German Plage); plāgen (> German plagen); Swedish plåga; French plaie, Occitan plaga. Doublet of plaga. Displaced native Old English wōl.